Vehicle seat back haptic alert systems and methods

ABSTRACT

A vehicle seat assembly is provided. The assembly includes a seat back member and a haptic alert assembly. The haptic alert assembly includes a first actuator incorporated into the seat back member. The first actuator is configured to generate at least a first portion of a haptic alert.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/663,516 filed Jun. 22, 2012 and hereby incorporated by reference. This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims the benefit of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/894,279 filed May 14, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,421,908, and hereby incorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The technical field generally relates to driver alert systems and methods, and more particularly relates to driver alert systems and methods that include haptic devices associated with a vehicle seat assembly.

BACKGROUND

Collision avoidance systems warn drivers of potential collision threats that may be in the line-of-sight of the driver (e.g., detected by on-board vehicle sensors) or out of the line-of-sight of the driver (e.g., determined from wireless vehicle-to-vehicle communications and/or vehicle-to-infrastructure communications). Collision avoidance systems may generate visual and/or auditory alerts to warn a vehicle driver of the potential collision threats. However, vehicle designers continue to develop more effective mechanisms for alerting the driver to a condition that needs attention, particularly haptic alert assemblies.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide methods and systems for alerting a driver of the vehicle using a haptic device, particularly improved methods and systems that generate more effective haptic alerts. Other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The exemplary embodiments will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a vehicle that includes a driver alert system in accordance with exemplary embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a vehicle that includes a driver alert system with lane change and side blind spot modules in accordance with exemplary embodiments;

FIG. 3 is a schematic side positional view of a vehicle seat assembly of the vehicle of FIG. 1 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a top positional view of the seat assembly of FIG. 2 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a front positional view of portions of the seat assembly of FIG. 2 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a side positional view of a motor incorporated into the seat assembly of FIGS. 4 and 5 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of an actuator housing incorporated into the seat assembly of FIGS. 4 and 5 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the actuator housing of FIG. 7 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a top positional view of the seat assembly of FIG. 4 during installation in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a front positional view of the seat back member of FIG. 5 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 11 is a more detailed, partial front positional view of the seat assembly of FIG. 10 during installation in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 12 is another more detailed, partial front positional view of the seat assembly of FIG. 5 during installation in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view along line 13-13 of FIG. 12 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view along line 14-14 of FIG. 12 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the application and uses. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. As used herein, the term module refers to an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), an electronic circuit, a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) and memory that executes one or more software or firmware programs, a combinational logic circuit, and/or other suitable components that provide the described functionality.

Broadly, exemplary embodiments discussed herein refer to driver alert systems and methods implemented as a vehicle seat assembly. The driver alert systems and methods may include actuators incorporated into seat bolsters that can provide improved haptic responses and more efficient installation.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a vehicle 10 that includes a driver alert system 100 in accordance with exemplary embodiments. Although not shown, the vehicle has a generally known configuration with one or more seats for supporting a driver and passenger(s). Additional details about a vehicle seat assembly 200 will be provided below after a brief description of the driver alert system 100.

In general, the driver alert system includes one or more collision avoidance modules (or sub-systems) 110, a communications module 120, a control module 130, a haptic alert assembly (or haptic feedback assembly) 140, and one or more additional alert devices, including a visual alert device 150, an auditory alert device 152, and an infotainment alert device 154. As introduced above and as described in greater detail below, the haptic alert assembly 140 may be incorporated into the vehicle seat assembly 200, which may also be considered part of the driver alert system 100. During operation and as also discussed in greater detail below, the control module 130 receives input signals from the collision avoidance modules 110 and communications module 120 that indicate the possibility of a collision condition. The control module 130 evaluates the input signals, and as appropriate, operates the haptic alert assembly 140 and/or alert devices 150, 152, 154 to alert the driver of the collision condition. As such, the driver alert system 100 may function to alert the driver of a collision condition such that avoidance maneuvers (e.g., braking and/or steering) and/or automatic crash mitigation responses (e.g., braking and/or steering) may be initiated. Although the figures shown herein depict example arrangements of elements, additional intervening elements, devices, features, or components may be present in an actual embodiment.

In general, the collision avoidance modules 110 include one or more on-board vehicle sensors (e.g., camera, radar, ultrasonic, and/or lidar) that detect a potential for a collision based on the vehicle sensor signals. The collision avoidance modules 110 may generally be implemented as, for example, forward collision warning, lane departure warning systems, lane keeping assist systems, front park assist systems, rear park assist systems, front and rear automatic braking systems, rear cross traffic alert systems, adaptive cruise control (ACC) systems, side blind spot detection systems, lane change alert systems, driver attention systems, front pedestrian detection systems, and rear pedestrian detection systems. As noted above, the driver alert system 100 may further include communications module 120 to enable communications between vehicles and/or between the vehicle and an infrastructure to forecast potential collision due to traffic or activity either inside the line-of-sight of the driver or outside of the line-of-sight of the driver (e.g., a road hazard or traffic jam ahead is detected beyond the driver's line-of-sight). In general, the collision avoidance modules 110 and/or communications module 120 are communicatively coupled to a control module 130 that evaluates a potential for a collision based on the vehicle sensor signals and/or communications.

In one exemplary embodiment, the collision avoidance modules 110 include a lane change warning module 112 and a side blind spot warning module 114. These modules include one or more sensors for monitoring traffic in the next driver lane over that is either in the driver's side blind spot or approaching from behind the driver's vehicle. Generally, the lane change warning module 112, in cooperation with the other components of the system 100, functions to alert the driver, prior to a lane change, during a lane change, or upon anticipating that the driver is changing lanes, that a vehicle in the intended lane is approaching. Similarly, generally, the side blind spot warning module 114, in cooperation with the other components of the system 100, functions to alert the driver, prior to a lane change, during a lane change, or upon anticipating that the driver is changing lanes, that another vehicle is within the intended lane, e.g., is within the “side blind spot” of the driver.

Referring additionally briefly to FIG. 2, the lane change warning module 112 may include one or more sensors 192 on the rear of the vehicle that function to monitor a range 193 of approximately 25-70 meters, as shown. Within this range 193, the sensors 192 may recognize an approaching vehicle. The side blind spot warning module 114 may include one or more sensor 194 on the side mirrors of the vehicle that function to monitor a range 195 of approximately 5 meters, as also shown. Within this range 195, the sensors 194 may recognize a vehicle in an adjacent lane. Typically, the sensors 192 of the lane change warning module 112 are radar- or camera-based sensors, and the sensors 194 of the side blind spot warning module 114 are radar-, camera-, or ultrasonic-based sensors based sensors. Generally, the type and placement of the sensors 192, 194 may vary. In addition, the same sensors (e.g., with different software) may be used to provide both lane change warning and side blind spot warning functionality.

Returning to FIG. 1, the control module 130 includes one or more submodule or units 132, 134, 136, and 138 that cooperate to evaluate the signals from the collision avoidance modules 110 and communications module 120, and in response, generate a control signal for operating one or more of the haptic alert assembly 140 and/or the devices 150, 152, 154. As described below, the control module 130 may include a monitoring unit 132, a user configuration unit 134, an evaluation unit 136, and a pattern determination unit 138. As can be appreciated, the units shown in FIG. 1 may be combined and/or further partitioned to similarly coordinate and provide driver alerts.

In general, the monitoring unit 132 monitors input from various components of the vehicle 10, particularly the haptic alert assembly 140 to determine proper operation. If the monitoring unit 132 determines that a component is malfunctioning, the monitoring unit 132 may generate a warning message, a warning signal, and/or a faulty condition status that may be communicated to the vehicle driver or technician.

The user configuration unit 134 manages the display of a configuration menu and manages user input received from a user interacting with the configuration menu. Such a configuration menu may be displayed on a display device within the vehicle or remote from the vehicle. In various embodiments, the configuration menu includes selectable options that, when selected, allow a user to configure the various alert settings associated with the devices 150, 152, 154 and/or haptic alert assembly 140. The alert settings for the haptic alert assembly 140 can include, but are not limited to, an occurrence of the vibration (e.g., whether or not to perform the vibration for a particular mode), a location of the vibration on the seat, an intensity of the vibration, a duration of the vibration, and/or a frequency of the pulses of the vibration. Based on the user input received from the user interacting with the configuration menu, the user configuration unit 134 stores the user configured alert settings in an alert settings database. As can be appreciated, the alert settings database may include volatile memory that temporarily stores the settings, non-volatile memory that stores the settings across key cycles, or a combination of volatile and non-volatile memory.

The evaluation unit 136 functions to ascertain the current mode of the vehicle 10 and to evaluate, based on that mode, the condition input signals and communications from the collision avoidance modules 110 and communications module 120. Based on this evaluation, the evaluation unit 136 may determine that a collision condition exists, e.g., that the vehicle may have the potential to be in a collision. Upon declaring a collision condition, the evaluation unit 136 sends an appropriate signal to the pattern determination unit 138. The signal may also indicate the nature of the collision condition.

Upon indication of the collision condition, the pattern determination unit 138 generates a control signal to operate one or more of the devices 150, 152, 154 and/or haptic alert assembly 140. For example, during operation, the lane change warning module 112 and side blind spot warning module 114 may be activated or initiated prior to a lane change, during a lane change, or upon anticipating that the driver is changing lanes. This indication may include actuation of a turn signal by the driver, drifting out of the current lane, and/or turning the wheel such that the resulting path will result in a lane change. Any suitable indication may activate the modules 112, 114. Upon activation, the sensors 192 monitor the adjacent lane for approaching traffic from behind in the next lane over, typically one or more vehicles approaching in the adjacent lane at a speed such that the approaching vehicle poses a collision risk. Additionally, the sensors 194 monitor the adjacent lane for an immediately adjacent vehicle that is within the side blind spot of the driver. Based on the input from sensors 192, 194, the evaluation unit 136 determines if the collision condition exists. The evaluation unit 136 sends the appropriate signal to the pattern determination unit 138, which cooperates with the devices 150, 152, 154 and/or the haptic alert assembly 140 to generate the appropriate signal. Although not shown, the control module 130 may also send signals representing the collision condition for active safety systems that automatically take evasive or defensive operation of the vehicle (e.g., automatic braking and/or steering).

In some exemplary embodiments, the control signal may define one or more alert patterns based on the collision condition. The alert patterns include haptic alert patterns, visual alert patterns, and/or auditory alert patterns. In various embodiments, the pattern determination unit 138 determines the alert patterns by retrieving the predefined alert settings and/or the user defined alert settings from the alert setting database based on the collision condition. In one exemplary embodiment, signals associated with the lane change and side blind spot warning modules 112, 114 may actuate left and/or right actuators of the haptic alert assembly 140 positioned within the left and/or right seat back bolsters. Additional details about the haptic alerts and alert patterns are discussed below.

The alert pattern may also indicate a synchronization of multiple aspects of the devices 150, 152, 154 and haptic alert assembly 140. For example, and as discussed below, the haptic alert assembly 140 may include multiple actuators, such as right and left seat back and seat bottom actuators. As such, the alert pattern may include directional commands, such as the operation the right and/or left actuator to provide additional information about the nature of the collision condition (e.g., operation of only the right actuator(s) would indicate collision threat is on the right).

Any suitable visual alert device 150 and auditory alert device 152 may be provided. As example, the visual alert device 150 may be implemented as an icon lit in the left and/or right outside rear-looking side mirrors 10 and the auditory alert device 152 may be implemented as part of the vehicle stereo system. The infotainment alert device 154 may correspond to a device or combination of devices for interacting with the vehicle 10. For example, the infotainment alert device 154 may include a display screen integrated the dashboard and user interfaces, such as a touch screen, buttons, and/or rotary dials. The alert signals associated with the infotainment alert device 154 may take the form of visual, audible, and/or haptic alert.

The haptic alert assembly 140 may be any suitable haptic alert device. In one exemplary embodiment, the haptic alert assembly 140 is implemented as part of the vehicle seat assembly 200, as will now be described in greater detail.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of a vehicle seat assembly 200 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. The seat assembly 200 may be installed on a floor of the passenger area of a vehicle, such as the vehicle 10 described above. In one exemplary embodiment, the seat assembly 200 is a driver seat for an automobile, although in other exemplary embodiments, the seat assembly 200 may be a passenger seat and/or implemented into any type of vehicle. Although an exemplary seat assembly 200 is described below, the driver alert system 100 may be implemented in any suitable type of seat assembly, including free standing seats, bench seats, and the like.

As shown in FIG. 3, the seat assembly 200 includes a lower seat member 210, a seat back member 220, a head rest 230, and a haptic alert assembly 140, such as the haptic alert assembly 140 introduced above in the discussion of FIG. 1. The lower seat member 210 defines a generally horizontal surface for supporting an occupant (not shown). The seat back member 220 may be pivotally coupled to the lower seat member 210 and defines a generally vertical surface for supporting the back of an occupant. The head rest 230 is operatively coupled to the seat back member 220 to support the head of an occupant. Although not shown, the lower seat member 210, the seat back member 220, and the head rest 230 are each formed by a foam body mounted on a frame and covered with a cover.

As described in greater detail below, the haptic alert assembly 140 is installed in the lower seat member 210 to provide haptic signals (e.g., vibrations) to the occupant in predetermined situations. As noted above, the haptic alert assembly 140 is part of the driver alert system 100 to alert the driver and/or automatically control (e.g., brake and/or steer) the vehicle to either help the driver avoid the crash or reduce the crash impact speed.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the seat assembly 200 of FIG. 3 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, the lower seat member 210 generally includes a seat pan 310, a first lower bolster 320, and a second lower bolster 330. The lower bolsters 320, 330 are generally considered the left outermost and right outermost side of the lower seat member 210, respectively. As can be appreciated, in various other embodiments, the seat pan 310 can be without lower bolsters 320, 330, such as a flat seat. In FIG. 3, the lower bolsters 320, 330 are arranged on the longitudinal sides of the seat pan 310 (e.g., the left and right sides) to support the legs and thighs of the occupants. Each of the lower bolsters 320, 330 may be considered to have a front end 324, 334 and a back end 326, 336 relative to the primary direction of travel. As shown, the seat back member 220 may overlap a portion of the lower bolsters 320, 330 at the back ends 326, 336. As is generally recognized in seat design, the lower bolsters 320, 330 are arranged on the sides of the lower seat member 210, typically at an angle to the seat pan 310.

As best shown in FIG. 5, which is a front view of the seat assembly 200 in FIG. 2 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment, the seat back member 220 includes a main seat back portion 375, a first back bolster 380, and a second back bolster 390, although other arrangements may be possible. In FIG. 5, the back bolsters 380, 390 are arranged on the longitudinal sides of the main seat back portion 375 (e.g., the left and right sides) to support the sides of the back of the occupants. Each of the back bolsters 380, 390 may be considered to have a bottom end 384, 394 and a top end 386, 396 relative to the general orientation of the seat assembly 200.

FIGS. 4 and 5 additionally illustrate positional aspects of the haptic alert assembly 140. In particular, the haptic alert assembly 140 includes a first actuator 322 installed in the first lower bolster 320 and a second actuator 332 installed in the second lower bolster 330. The haptic alert assembly 140 may further include a third actuator 382 installed in the first back bolster 380 and a fourth actuator 392 installed in the second back bolster 390. Although third and fourth actuators 382, 392 are discussed in description below, the haptic alert assembly 140 may include any number of additional actuators on either side of the seat back member 220, as well as other locations.

The actuators 322, 332, 382, 392 are coupled to a haptic controller 350 with a wiring harness 360. In one exemplary embodiment, the haptic controller 350 corresponds to the control module 130 discussed above, although the haptic controller 350 may alternatively be a separate controller.

In general, the actuators 322, 332, 382, 392 (as well as any additional actuators) are positioned to enable the occupant to clearly and quickly perceive and differentiate various types of haptic signals without negatively impacting seat comfort and durability. The particular locations of the actuators 322, 332, 382, 392 may additionally depend on seat design considerations, including seat structure, bolster design, and foam thickness. Although the first and second actuators 322, 332 are described as being positioned in the lower bolsters 320, 330, in other embodiments, the first and second actuators 322, 332 may be positioned in other areas of the seat assembly 200, such as the seat pan 310, seat back member 220, and/or the head rest 230. Similarly, although the third and fourth actuators 382, 392 are described as being positioned in the back bolsters 380, 390, in other embodiments, the third and fourth actuators 382, 392 may be positioned in other areas of the seat assembly 200, such as the lower seat member 210, main seat back portion 375, and/or the head rest 230.

As shown, actuators 322, 332, 382, 392 (e.g., four actuators) are provided to independently generate the desired haptic signals to the occupant either on the left bottom side, right bottom side, left back side, right back side, and/or any combination thereof. However, in other embodiments, additional actuators may be provided, either in the seat bottom, seat back, other parts of the seat, or in other parts of the vehicle. In one exemplary embodiment, installation of the actuators 322, 332, 382, 392 in the respective bolsters 380, 390 functions to isolate the actuators vibration from one another such that the actuators 322, 332, 382, 392 tactile vibration is decoupled (or isolated) from one another. As such, the vibrations may be highly localized. Consequently, when it is desired to generate only a subset of all the haptic actuators (e.g., one or two left-side actuators), the seat occupant does not experience unintended vibrations that can travel through the seat cushion material or seat structure to the other actuator location (e.g., the right-side actuator(s)). As one example, the peak amplitude of measured vertical acceleration at the activated actuator location normal to the seat bolster surface may be at least seven times greater than the peak amplitude of the measured acceleration along the axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the motor actuation.

In one exemplary embodiment, the first and second actuators 322, 332 are positioned about two-thirds of the distance between the front ends 324, 334 of the bolsters 320, 330 and the seat back member 220. In one exemplary embodiment, the first and second actuators 322, 332 (e.g., the forward edge of the actuators 322, 332) may be laterally aligned with the H-point (or hip-point) 370, as schematically shown. In other embodiments, the actuators 322, 332 (e.g., the rear edge of the actuators 322, 332) are positioned approximately 25 cm forward of the H-point 370 and/or between 0 cm and 25 cm forward of the H-point 370. As generally recognized in vehicle design, the H-point 370 is the theoretical, relative location of an occupant's hip, specifically the pivot point between the torso and upper leg portions of the body. In general and as discussed above, the actuators 322, 332 are positioned with consideration for performance, durability, and comfort. However, the exemplary positions discussed herein enable advantageous occupant responses from the perspectives of both faster and more accurate detection and interpretation (e.g., feeling the vibration and recognizing the alert direction), typically on the order of hundreds of milliseconds. In one exemplary embodiment, the location of the H-point 370 is unchanged as compared to a lower seat member without a haptic feedback assembly.

As described below, the actuators 322, 332, 382, 392 provide advantages with respect to the occupant detection and interpretation of alert (e.g., the direction of the crash threat), occupant comfort, and seat durability. In one exemplary embodiment, the actuators 322, 332, 382, 392 may individually generate various portions of a haptic alert, respectively, or be individually operated to generate the entire response. As an example, the two back actuators 382, 392 provide a clear signal regarding the nature of the alert and direction the alert is referring to, e.g., rapid pulsing of the left back actuator 382 signals to the driver indicate a vehicle is approaching in the left adjacent lane and/or that a vehicle is within the left-side side blind spot. Additional actuators, such as also activating the right actuator in this case of an alert associated with the left lane, may reduce the chance the occupant will incorrectly associate the activation with a right side event and it may increase the time it takes for the occupant to determine a left side event has occurred. Similarly, the position and size of the actuators 322, 332. 382, 392 provide advantages with respect to seat durability, which can be measured by commonly used sliding entry, jounce and squirm, and knee load durability seat validation tests. The actuators 322, 332. 382, 392 may be designed to function for 100,000 actuation sequences over 150,000 miles of vehicle life. Other actuator positions may compromise occupant detection and alert effectiveness, seat comfort, and seat durability. For example, if the haptic device is placed at the very front edge of the seat bottom, the occupant may not perceive seat vibrations if they pull their legs back against the front portions of the seat.

As described above, the haptic controller 350 commands actuators 322, 332, 382, 392 based on a haptic pattern. For example, when an object is detected approaching from the right side of the vehicle when the vehicle is beginning to merge into an adjacent right lane, the actuator 392 positioned near the driver's back on the right side is selected for actuation, and vice versa. Other patterns for other situations may be provided.

In one exemplary embodiment, the peak amplitude of measured vertical acceleration at the activated actuator location normal to the seat bolster surface may be at least five times greater than the peak amplitude of the measured acceleration in the vertical, fore-aft, and lateral directions at non-activated actuator locations. Moreover, by way of example, the actuation profile may be adjusted to create a desired acceleration profile felt by variously sized drivers. For example, a high frequency component of the vibration corresponding to the rotational speed of the motor is preferably within the range of 55 to 67 Hz. The high frequency component is also selected to reduce undesirable interactions with road vibration frequencies. The vertical acceleration of the vibration is preferably between 50 and 72 m/s², and this acceleration level is preferably within 10% across each of the actuator locations.

FIG. 6 is a side view of a motor 600 that may be incorporated into the actuators 322, 332, 382, 392 described above. As an example, one motor 600 may be incorporated into each actuator 322, 332, 382, 392. The motor 600 may be a relatively small and light motor, for example, a 12 VDC motor in which an electric current drives magnets or coils to rotate output shaft 602. An eccentric mass 604 is coupled to and rotates with the shaft 602 to produce a haptic response. In other words, the eccentric mass 604 is selectively rotated to produce a vibrating sensation for an occupant. The motor 600 and/or shaft 602 may be sized and shaped to produce the desired characteristics of the haptic response. Other types of motors and/or actuation assemblies may be provided, including smart materials.

As noted above, the haptic controller 350 may have various predetermined patterns implemented with active and inactive periods of operation. During the active period, the haptic controller 350 commands the selected motor 600 (e.g., the motor in actuator 322, 332, 382, and/or 392) to rotate, and during the inactive period, the haptic controller 350 does not commands the selected motor 600 to rotate.

The motor 600 may be operated in a manner to create haptic pulses at the surface of the seat bottom and seat back (e.g., bolster 320, 330, 380, 390) varied in length, spacing, and intensity to create the haptic feedback felt by the driver of the vehicle. The haptic feedback created by the haptic pulses indicates the type of alert, e.g., the nature of the collision condition. The haptic controller 350 determines the appropriate voltage and determines, for example, a pulse width modulation (PWM) pattern of “on” periods where voltage is provided to the motor 600 and “off” periods where no voltage is provided to the motor 600.

In some embodiments, the relative duration of the active period and inactive period may be used to indicate the severity of the potential hazard, and/or the time between active periods and inactive periods may be decreased to indicate more urgent alerts, such as the difference between near-field imminent crash alerts and far-field advisory events that may occur beyond the driver's line of sight. Distinction between urgent and non-urgent alerts may be communicated by varying the haptic feedback to the driver. For example, the number of pulses, pulse on and pulse off cycle patterns, pulse signatures, pulse intensity, or pulse location may be varied to produce various alerts. As an example, when an object is first detected, a single pulse or unique pulse signature may be provided, and as the vehicle moves closer to the object, the separation time between pulses (or pulse signatures) is decreased until a minimum separation time is reached. The intensity settings for the collision avoidance alerts (e.g., more intense as the crash threat is greater) may be distinct from the crash alert settings to reduce customer discomfort or annoyance

Examples of exemplary alert patterns are provided below. A haptic alert for a Lane Departure Warning (LDW) event is indicated by three pulses commanded with active periods of 80 ms and inactive periods of 120 ms. A Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) event is indicated by three pulses commanded with active periods of 100 ms and inactive periods of 100 ms. A Forward Collision Alert (FCA), Crash Imminent Braking (CIB), or Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) event is indicated by five pulses commanded with active periods of 100 ms and inactive periods of 100 ms. A Rear Park Assist (RPA) first detect event is indicated by one or two pulses commanded with active periods of 70 ms and inactive periods of 130 ms. A RPA and Front Park Assist (FPA) near object event are indicated by five pulses commanded with active periods of 70 ms and inactive periods of 130 ms.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of an actuator housing 700 that may be incorporated into the actuators 322, 332, 382, 392 described above, and FIG. 8 is a side view of the actuator housing 700. In general and additionally referring to FIG. 6, the motor 600 may be positioned in the actuator housing 700 for installation and operation, e.g., such that one motor 600 and one housing 700 form each actuator 322, 332, 382, 392 (FIGS. 4 and 5). In general, the actuator housing 700 is configured to protect the motor 600 while enabling transmission of the haptic signal generated by the motor 600 to the occupant.

The actuator housing 700 may have any suitable size and shape. In one exemplary embodiment, the actuator housing 700 may include side walls 702, a bottom wall 706, and a top wall 708. It should be noted that the terms “side,” “top,” and “bottom” are merely relative terms to describe the actuator housing 700 as depicted in FIG. 7 and do not necessarily imply or require a particular orientation during installation or operation. The side walls 702 may be configured with first and second portions that separate to provide access to the interior of the actuator housing 700, for example, to install and/or replace the motor 600. Snaps or other locking mechanisms 710 may be provided to secure and release the respective portions. In other embodiments, the actuator housing 700 may have a hinged or clam shell construction to accommodate the motor 600. One or more of the walls 702, 706, 708 may define an aperture for accommodate wiring members 720, which are coupled to the motor 600. As described in greater detail above, the wiring members 720 may be part of the wiring harness 360 that couples the motor 600 to the haptic controller 350 (FIG. 3).

As shown, the top wall 708 may be coupled to or formed by a plate member with at least one extended surface 712. The top wall 708 in FIG. 7 includes extended surfaces 712 on opposite edges of the actuator housing 700. Due to the extended surfaces 712, the top wall 708 may have greater planar dimensions than that of the bottom wall 706. In one exemplary embodiment, the top wall 708 may be approximately 50% larger than the bottom wall 706, although other relative dimensions may be possible. As such, the top wall 708 may be sized to provide advantageous transmission of the haptic response from the motor 600. For example, the larger dimension of the top wall 708 enables transmission of the haptic response over a larger area, e.g., the vibrations may be spread out over a greater area for enhanced detection by the occupant and to increase detectability for a wider range of occupant sizes and occupant positioning in the seat. As also described in greater detail below, the dimensions of the top wall 708 may also facilitate accurate, repeatable installation of the actuators 322, 332, 382, 392 (FIGS. 4 and 5). Although the top wall 708 is depicted with the extended surface 712, in other embodiments, the top wall 708 may have different relative dimensions and arrangements. In one exemplary embodiment, the top wall 708 may have no such extended surface 712. In other words, the top wall 708 may have dimensions similar to those of wall 706.

FIG. 9 is a top view of the lower seat member 210 removed from the seat back member 220 (FIG. 2) and with a cover removed. As discussed above, the lower seat member 210 may be formed by the seat pan 310 and first and second lower bolsters 320, 330. As also introduced above, each of the seat pan 310 and first and second lower bolsters 320, 330 may include a foam body 920, 930 mounted on a frame (not shown).

FIG. 9 particularly illustrates characteristics that facilitate installation of the actuators 322, 332 (not shown in FIG. 9) into the foam body 920, 930 of the first and second lower bolsters 320, 330, respectively. In one exemplary embodiment, each foam body 920, 930 defines a depression 922, 932 to accommodate one of the actuators 322, 332.

FIG. 10 is a front view of the seat back member 220 removed from the lower seat member 210 (FIG. 2) and with a cover removed. As discussed above, the seat back member 220 may be formed by the main seat back portion 375 and first and second back bolsters 380, 390. As also introduced above, each of the main seat back portion 375 and first and second back bolsters 380, 390 may include a foam body 970, 980, 990 mounted on a frame (not shown). FIG. 10 particularly illustrates characteristics that facilitate installation of the actuators 382, 392 (not shown in FIG. 10) into the foam body 980, 990 of the first and second back bolsters 380, 390, respectively. In one exemplary embodiment, each foam body 980, 990 defines a depression 982, 992 to accommodate one of the actuators 382, 392.

FIG. 11 is a more detailed view of depression 982, although the description of FIG. 11 is also applicable to any of the depressions 922, 932, 992 (FIGS. 9 and 10). As shown in FIG. 10, the depression 982 is a multi-layered (or multi-stepped) depression in this exemplary embodiment. In particular, the depression 982 includes a first layer 1030, a second layer 1032, and a third layer 1034. The layers 1030, 1032, 1034 are sized to securely accommodate the actuators 382, 392 (not shown in FIG. 11). Referring additionally to FIGS. 7 and 8, the first layer 1030 is sized with relative dimensions so as to accommodate the side walls 702 and bottom wall 706 of the actuator housing 700. Upon insertion of the side walls 702 and bottom wall 706, the second layer 1032 accommodates the top wall 708 of the actuator housing 700. The walls of the layers 1030, 1032 function to accurately position the actuator housing 700 during installation and to prevent lateral and longitudinal movement of the actuator housing 700 during operation. Additionally referring to FIG. 12, which is a top view of an actuator (e.g., actuator 382) installed in the depression 982, a topper pad 1100 may be provided to cover the actuator housing 700 during installation and operation, as well as to ensure seat comfort and seat durability. The topper pad 1100 may be a mesh or foam pad that fits within the third layer 1034 of the depression 982. Upon installation, the actuator housing 700 and topper pad 1100 may be stacked within the depression 982 to provide a generally uninterrupted planar surface of the respective bolster 380, 390. In other words, the installed actuators 382, 392 are generally placed to not protrude or dent the seat back member 220. FIGS. 13 and 14 are cross-sectional views along lines 13-13 and 14-14, respectively, of FIG. 12 of an actuator (e.g., actuator 382) installed in a depression (e.g., depression 982). As a result of this arrangement, the actuators 382, 392 may be installed in the deepest and/or thickest portion of the foam body 980, 990. In other embodiments, the actuators 382, 392 may be closer to the surface or deeper in the foam body 980, 990.

As best shown in FIG. 11, the depression 982 further includes a thru-hole 1036 to accommodate portions of the wiring harness 360, such as the wiring members 720 extending through the actuator housing 700 discussed in reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

Referring again to FIG. 9, the depressions 922, 932 are depicted on the “top” side (or A-surface) of the lower seat member 210. However, in alternate embodiments, the depressions may be formed on the “bottom” side (or B-surface) on the underside of the lower seat member 210.

Still referring to FIG. 9, the route of the wiring harness 360 is schematically shown. In particular, the wire passages 952, 956 extend through the foam bodies 920, 930 to accommodate the wiring harness 360 such that the motor 600 (FIG. 6) is electrically coupled to the haptic controller 350 (FIG. 4). Typically, the wire passages 952, 956 include a first wire passage 952 to accommodate a first wire 954 of the wiring harness 360 to the first actuator 322 (FIG. 4) and a second wire passage 956 to accommodate another wire 958 of the wiring harness 360 to the second actuator 332 (FIG. 4). In one exemplary embodiment, the wire passages 952, 956 may extend to a common side of the lower seat member 210. In the depiction of FIG. 9, the wire passages 952, 956 and associated wires 954, 958 extend from the respective actuators 322, 332 through the lower seat member 210 and to the haptic controller 350. As shown, the haptic controller 350 may be offset relative to the actuators 322, 332 such that the haptic controller 350 is closer to one actuator 322 than the other actuator 332. In one exemplary embodiment, the haptic controller 350 may be located underneath the lower seat member 210, although other locations may be provided. This arrangement results in the wires 954, 958 being different lengths, e.g., the wire 958 is longer than wire 954. The length difference between the wires 954, 958 functions to prevent wiring errors during installation. Referring to the depicted exemplary embodiment, the wire 954 is the shorter wire, and thus, unable to physically reach the far side actuator 332, which in turn, helps ensure that the wire 954 is properly coupled to the designated controller output for the actuator 322, e.g., the wire 954 for the right side actuator 322 is coupled to the left side output of the haptic controller 350. In some instances, a misrouted wire may not be able to physically reach the haptic controller 350. The controller may additionally have inputs on opposite sides to receive the wires 954, 958. As shown in FIG. 9, one exemplary arrangement may have the left side wire 954 from the left side actuator 322 coupled to the left side of the haptic controller 350 and the right side wire 958 from the right side actuator 332 coupled to the right side of the haptic controller 350. This arrangement additionally may prevent wiring errors. In addition to the wires 954, 958 having different lengths, in some embodiments, the length of the passages 952, 956 may also be selected relative to the length of the wires 954, 958 to prevent or mitigate wiring errors. For example, the second wire passage 956 may have a longer length than the first wire 954. As a result of this embodiment, the first wire 954 is incapable of reaching the second actuator (e.g., the incorrect actuator). Although not shown, the wiring associated with the seat back member 220 may have a similar arrangement. In particular and as schematically shown in FIG. 4, a first wire (e.g., a shorter wire) only has a length to extend to one of the actuators (e.g., the closest of actuator 382 or actuator 392), thereby preventing or mitigating wiring errors.

Accordingly, exemplary embodiments discussed herein enables a driver to plan and execute safer lane changes by alerting the driver of vehicles in adjacent lanes via directional haptic seat vibrations that are easily detected (e.g., by older, hearing-impaired drivers), well-localized (e.g., left versus right haptic vibrations are intuitively and readily distinguished by drivers), and well accepted (e.g., drivers find seat vibration alerts less annoying than auditory alerts). Exemplary embodiments particularly enable increased customer satisfaction with respect to side blind zone and lane change alert systems.

While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that various changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the appended claims and the legal equivalents thereof. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A vehicle seat assembly, comprising: a seat back member comprising: a main seat back portion with a first side and a second side, a first back bolster positioned on the first side of the main seat back portion, wherein the first back bolster comprises a first foam body defining a first depression in a first top side of the first back bolster, the first depression being defined by first side walls and a first bottom wall formed by the first foam body, a second back bolster positioned on the second side of the main seat back portion, wherein the second back bolster comprises a second foam body defining a second depression in a second top side of the second back bolster, the second depression being defined by second side walls and a second bottom wall formed by the second foam body, and a seat frame supporting the main seat back portion, the first back bolster, and the second back bolster; and a haptic alert assembly comprising a first actuator positioned within the first depression of the first back bolster of the seat back member and configured to generate at least a first portion of a haptic alert and a second actuator positioned within the second depression of the second back bolster and configured to generate at least a second portion of the haptic alert, wherein the first foam body of the first back bolster is disposed between the seat frame and the first actuator to attenuate vibrations between the first actuator and the seat frame, and wherein the second foam body of the second back bolster is disposed between the seat frame and the second actuator to attenuate vibrations between the second actuator and the seat frame such that the first portion and the second portion of the haptic alert are isolated from one another, wherein the first actuator includes a housing and a motor within the housing, and wherein the first motor operates at a frequency in a range of approximately 55 Hertz to 67 Hertz and selected to reduce interactions with road vibration frequencies.
 2. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the motor comprises a rotatable eccentric mass configured to produce the first portion of the haptic alert.
 3. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 2, wherein the housing comprises a top wall with an extended surface.
 4. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 3, wherein the housing further comprises a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls coupling the top wall to the bottom wall, and wherein the top wall is at least approximately 50% larger in area than the bottom wall.
 5. A driver alert assembly, comprising: a vehicle seat assembly comprising a seat back member having a main seat back portion with a first side and a second side, a first back bolster positioned on the first side of the seat back portion, wherein the first back bolster comprises a first foam body defining a first depression in a first top side of the first back bolster, the first depression being defined by first side walls and a first bottom wall formed by the first foam body, and a second back bolster positioned on the second side of the seat back portion, wherein the second back bolster comprises a second foam body defining a second depression in a second top side of the second back bolster, the second depression being defined by second side walls and a second bottom wall formed by the second foam body, and a seat frame supporting the main seat back portion, the first back bolster, and the second back bolster; and a control module configured to declare a collision condition based on input signals received from one or more collision avoidance systems and to generate alert command signals based on the collision condition; and a haptic alert assembly coupled to the control module and configured to generate a haptic alert based on the alert command signals, the haptic alert assembly including a first actuator incorporated into the first depression of the first back bolster and configured to generate at least a first portion of the haptic alert, and a second actuator incorporated into the second depression of the second back bolster and configured to generate at least a second portion of the haptic alert, wherein the first foam body of the first back bolster is disposed between the seat frame and the first actuator to attenuate vibrations between the first actuator and the seat frame, and wherein the second foam body of the second back bolster is disposed between the seat frame and the second actuator to attenuate vibrations between the second actuator and the seat frame such that vibrations generated from the first and second portions of the haptic alert are decoupled from one another, wherein the control module commands the first actuator to operate at a frequency in a range of approximately 55 Hertz to 67 Hertz and selected to reduce interactions with road vibration frequencies.
 6. The driver alert assembly of claim 5, wherein the first actuator includes a housing and a motor within the housing, and wherein the housing comprises a top wall with an extended surface.
 7. The driver alert assembly of claim 6, wherein the housing further comprises a bottom wall and a plurality of side walls coupling the top wall to the bottom wall, and wherein the top wall is at least approximately 50% larger in area than the bottom wall.
 8. The driver alert assembly of claim 5, wherein the control module is configured to declare a first collision condition associated with a lane change alert warning and a second collision condition associated with a side blind spot warning.
 9. The driver alert assembly of claim 8, wherein the control module is configured to generate the alert command signals with directional control such that the haptic alert assembly actuates the first actuator when the first or second collision condition is associated with a left lane and actuates the second actuator when the first or second collision condition is associated with a right lane.
 10. The driver alert assembly of claim 8, wherein the vehicle seat assembly further comprises a bottom seat member having a seat pan, a first bottom bolster positioned on the first side of the seat pan, and a second bottom bolster positioned on the second side of the seat pan, and wherein the haptic alert assembly further comprises a third actuator incorporated into the first bottom bolster and a fourth actuator incorporated into the second bottom bolster.
 11. The driver alert assembly of claim 10, wherein the third and fourth actuators are respectively positioned in the bottom seat member such that vibrations generated from the third and fourth actuators are decoupled from one another.
 12. The driver alert assembly of claim 10, wherein the control module is configured to declare a third collision condition associated with a lane departure warning and generate the alert command signals with directional control such that the haptic alert assembly actuates the third actuator when the third collision condition is associated with the left lane and actuates the fourth actuator when the third collision condition is associated with the right lane.
 13. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 1, wherein the first actuator and the first foam body of the first back bolster are configured to generate the first portion of the haptic alert as a vibration with a peak amplitude in a direction normal to the first top side of the first back bolster that is at least seven times greater than a peak amplitude in a lateral direction.
 14. The driver alert assembly of claim 10, wherein the control module comprises a monitoring unit coupled to the first and second actuators and configured to evaluate operation of the first and second actuators.
 15. The driver alert assembly of claim 11, wherein the control module comprises a user configuration unit configured to receive user input from a user and configure alert settings for the first, second, third, and fourth actuators based on the user input.
 16. The driver alert assembly of claim 15, wherein the user configuration unit is configured to configure the alert settings to include a user selected location of the haptic alert on the vehicle seat assembly.
 17. The driver alert assembly of claim 15, wherein the control module comprises a pattern determination unit configured to define one or more alert patterns based on the collision condition and the user input, the one or more alert patterns including directional commands.
 18. The vehicle seat assembly of claim 3, wherein the housing further comprises side walls and a bottom wall such that the extended surface of the top wall extends beyond the side walls, and wherein the first depression is formed with steps in the first foam body such that the first foam body accommodates the side walls and the extended surface of the top wall. 